Russia votes in regional and municipal elections including Ukrainian-controlled Kursk
Polling stations opened across 83 Russian regions on Sunday, including the Ukrainian-controlled Kursk region.
According to the head of the Central Election Commission, Ella Pamfilova, the election in Kursk wasn't postponed at the request of the region's residents.
Pamfilova described high turnout in the vote as an "adequate response" to the actions of "bandits and rabble.'"
In some regions, voting has been taking place from September 6 to 8.
There are three by-elections for the 8th State Duma, 19 elections for governors (16 direct and three indirectly elected), 13 regional parliamentary elections, and many elections on the municipal level.
By-elections to the State Duma are being held in 3 regions, and direct elections of heads of federal states are being held in 21 regions.
Local parliaments are also being elected in 11 regions, including annexed Crimea and Sevastopol.
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According to the Central Electoral Commission, no significant complaints have been recorded that could affect the results of the remote electronic voting, which about 3.5 million voters in 26 regions opted for.
The Central Election Commission reported thousands of attacks on remote voting resources, which they say were promptly blocked.
State news broadcaster Rossiya 1 aired footage of election officials visiting a veterans’ hospital in the Siberian city of Kemerovo to record votes from patients wounded in fighting in Ukraine.
The highest turnout following the results of two days (September 6 and 7) of voting was shown in Bryansk (40%), Kursk (50%), Kemerovo (60%) regions, and the Republic of Bashkortostan (55%).
Violations reported
On the other hand, some independent media outlets report violations recorded at polling stations in many regions.
This reportedly included as money being offered for a vote for a certain candidate or services that record the attendance of employees of state institutions and independent observers being removed from polling stations or not allowed at all.
Instances of ballot stuffing have also been reported.
"Electronic voting is to rig the elections"
Residents of Moscow are electing City Duma deputies.
EBU Moscow bureau spoke to citizens about their attitude to the elections and their expectations on the third day of voting.
Some people shared their concerns about the transparency of electronic voting.
"I think that electronic voting is a direct way to, as the English say, 'rig the elections.' This means, as Josef Stalin said, it doesn't matter who they vote for; it's important how the votes are counted. Electronic voting cannot be controlled," one Muscovite said.
People expect that even local elections can impact peace and the end of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.
"I wish the war would end sooner. This is the main thing for Russia and all the Slavic people," a man said to the EBU crew. Many respondents say they feel unsafe and have concerns regarding drones that reach various Russian regions.
"I just came from Saratov, where a drone hit right in the centre of the city, and a woman died. How can we feel safe?" a woman at the polling station said.
"I'm from Novocherkassk, it's in the Rostov region, we practically live on the border, it's not far away. It's very difficult there, but in Moscow, it's good, life is in full swing here, as if nothing is happening," another woman told our correspondent.
